Three Dundee-based computer game development companies have been shortlisted in the forthcoming international Develop Industry Excellence Awards 2010.

The companies have been nominated for the prestigious international awards, which recognise the most talented UK and European games developers for their creativity, teamwork and innovation.

Realtime Worlds, now one of the largest and most successful independent game developers in the world, has been nominated for Best New IP for All Points Bulletin - its latest online title - as well as Best Independent Studio.

Tag Games has been nominated in the Best Micro Studio category and Digital Goldfish for Best Handheld Studio.

The nominations will act as a major boost for the games sector, which is worth £55billion globally, and currently employs around 1,000 people in Scotland.

Terry Hurley, Scottish Enterprise's head of digital markets, said: "Scotland has long been at the heart of the international games sector, developing highly innovative and creative content.

"Having three of our leading companies nominated for these awards is a major achievement and will help to raise the profile of the talent that exists in Scotland.

"The games industry is growing on a massive scale worldwide and changing rapidly as technology develops for mobile phones as well as online platforms such as Facebook and Web 2.0.

"One of the biggest challenges is keeping up with the pace of change, but all three companies have demonstrated their ability to do just that and keep ahead of the competition and I want to wish them all the best of luck at the awards ceremony next month."

Dave Jones, creative director of Realtime Worlds, added: "It's extremely gratifying to be nominated for a Develop award, and testament to the creative talent that exists in Dundee when you have not one, but three studios among the nominees."

Paul Farley, managing director of Tag Games, added: "The fact that Dundee has three nominees in the awards further strengthens our position as one of the best locations in the world to create games."

The winners of the Develop Industry Excellence Awards 2010 will be announced at this year's Develop Conference, taking place in Brighton on July 14.